Well-digging apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W, LOWMAN.

WELL DIGGING APPARATUS.

No; 388,889. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS Howl-kw, Washington. D. C.

.(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. W. LOW-MAN.

WELL DIGGING APPARATUS.

No. 388,889. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT XVILLIAM LOWMAN, OF MARIONVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

WELL-DlGGlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,889, dated September 4, 1888.

Application tiled August 3, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LOWMAN, of Marionville, in the county of Forest and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in W'ell-Digging Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for drilling wells for water, oil, or gas, and it is in the nature of an improvement upon the construction shown in my previous patent, No. 363,151, granted May 17, 1887.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the appa' ratus in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sand-pump reel and windlass on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the standard-clamp. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the working-levers; and Fig. 5is an enlarged perspective detail of the rope-clamp.

In the drawings, A is a post formed of a doubled iron bar perforated and firmly driven in the ground, between the sections of which is hinged or jointed a horizontal treadle-lever, B, having a foot-board, 0. To this lever is jointed (see Fig. 4) by a fulcrum-pin and a series of holes the lower ends of a pair of linkbars, I) D, or a link-bar slotted at its end, the upper ends of which are hinged or pivoted to a lever, E, having a series of holes, allowing links 1) to be moved backward along B, and into any one of which holes a clevis, 0, may be fastened, which clevis is through a ropeclamp connected to the rope b, which passes around pulley 0 above and connects with the drillingtool a. v

The clevis 0 connects with the rope in a detachable manner by the rope-clamp L, which is shown on alarge scale in Fig. 5. This clamp is made with a hook portion, Z, a lug, Z, with lateral slots 1 Z above and below the lugs, a grooved extension, Z, at the top, and a split sleeve, Z. The rope extends through grooved section Z, and is clamped by sleeve Z, then is laid in slots Z Z around lug Z, and, after being hooked into clevis c, is fastened to hook I of the rope-clamp. This permits the rope to be paid out as the drill descends.

F is the mast which forms the derrick, and has aseries of holes in it to receive ladder rungs r, to permit a man to climb to the top. This mast is made in two sections hinged at h, and held supported in upright position by ten- Serial No. 246,084. (No model.)

tachably connected to the upper section of the mast by bolts. At their lower ends the braces G rest upon G, and are adjustably clamped thereon by strap-iron g and bolts 9 and the braces G restat their lower ends upon H, and are adj ustably clamped thereon by strap-irons g and clamp-bolts 9 At the upper end of the mast is arranged the pulley c, and to the side of the lower section of this mast is applied two offsetting boards, F F, separated by spacing-blocks at their ends and fastened by bolts 25, Fig. 2, to the mast. Between the boards F F the end of the lever E, Fig. 4, is pivoted, a series of holes being made in the boards to permit theleverE to be pivoted higher or lower.

To the upper end ofthclower section of the mast F is fastened a bar bearing a pulley, T. This pulley T serves as a bearing for the rope T in raising or straightening the uppersection of the mast about its hinge h, as shown in dotted lines. This bar rises above the hinge, and when the upper section of the mast is raised it is bolted to this bar, and thus rigidly held.

F is a standard connected adjustably by a clip and cross-plate, r 1", Fig. 3, to one of the braces H, which standard, in connection with the mast, forms bearings for the windlass F, by which the rope may be wound up and the drilling-tool lifted from the well. The standard F is slotted longitudinally (see Fig. 2) and provided with a sliding plate, h, which forms a bearing for the windlassshaft, and to which Windlass-shaft a cog-wheel, F is attached. There is also another sliding plate, F, arranged in the slot of the standard, and this plate forms a bearing for a small cog wheel or pinion, F which'is provided with a cranlrhandle. These plates F and F are provided with clampbolts, that fix them in stationary positions in the slots, and this forms an adjustment that permits the small cog-wheel F to be removed and replaced by a still smaller or larger one, when greater or less power is required for different weights of tools and different depthsof wells.

5 M is a grooved brake-wheel provided with which,when lever N is brought down, may be brought in contact with gear F whereby mo tion is imparted to the reel to wind up the sandpump. Before bringing gear-wheel N into mesh with F the latter is adjusted by means of the plate F out of contact with the windlass-gear F \Vhen not in use, lever N is hung up on a hook, and gear N is then thrown out of mesh with F.

The operation is as follows: The operator places one foot upon the box or platform and the other upon the treadle, while his hands grasp the drilling tool or rope. He then presses down the treadle and lifts on the drilling-tool,which action raises the tool, and then by suddenly transferring his weight to the box the tool is allowed to descend of its own gravity and delivers a blow at the bottom of the well. As the operator handles the tool or'the attached rope he turns the latter about its longitudinal axis from time to time to change the cut of the drill below.

The drilling apparatus as thus described may be quickly set up or taken down at any point, and is easily folded and carried by a single wagon, and by the aid of its leverage an ordinary man can operate a drill in sinking Wells with great advantage and facility.

With respect to the rope-clamp shown in Fig. 5, I would state that I do not claim this feature in this application, but reserve the right to cover the same in a separate application.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is 1. A well-drilling apparatus comprising the derricktimbers F F, the Windlass F with gear-wheel F the pinion F, with crank-handle, the adjustable plate F, carrying the said pinion, the sand-pump reel N, having pinion N, and the lever N carrying thejournal of the sand-pn mp reel, the whole being arranged, substantially as shown and described, to permit the rapid independent operation of the Windlass and sand-p11 mp reel by the same crank and pinion.

2. The combination, with the derrick-mast F, made in two hinged sections, of the braces H, jointed to the lower section of the mast, and 63 also anchored to ground-connections, the braces G G, jointed to the upper section of the mast and provided with clamps g g mounted adjustably upon the braces H, andthe braces G G, jointed to the upper section of the mast and 65 provided with clamps g mounted adjustably upon braces G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the sectional mast F, having hinge h, of asupporting-bar and pul- 7o ley, T", arranged at the upper end of thelower section, the rope T, and the braces, substan tially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the derrick and its rope and Working mechanism, of thestandard F, slotted, as described, and having sliding journal-plates F* F, the Windlass shaft and gear F arranged in one of these plates, and the adjustable pinion F journaled in the other sliding journal plate and provided with a crank-handle, as set forth.

\VI LLIAM LOWMAN.

Witnesses:

W. H. SIGWORTH, J. W. COLE. 

